Lions Led by Donkeys V Q 3 By

Lions Led by Donkeys? V Q 3 By Mr RJ Huggins 2006

Lesson Objectives w Discuss the ‘reliability’ of comedy as historical evidence. w Analyse two different types of comedy, a film clip and a cartoon about the Battle of the Somme and General Haig. w Finally, make a judgement about whether these two sources are useful to an historian.

How reliable is comedy as historical evidence? Ever a true word said in jest! 2 minutes to jot down some ideas You can learn a lot from comedy & jokes about peoples attitudes Satire and irony can be very effective criticism Comedy People who can't talk openly because of censorship, often do so through jokes Jokes often have hidden meanings! In order to get people to laugh, you have to exaggerate the truth!

Blackadder Goes Forth, 1991 What can we learn from this source about how many people viewed Haig’s tactics in 1991?

How accurate is Blackadder? Source 1: Private Williams ‘We saw the bombardment the Germans w The following sources are wereextracts getting. We thought was a chance of taken fromit letters written getting own back. wasthe wildly by our soldiers who. Everyone witnessed enthusiastic. went on sick shelling. Far of less the men German trenches parade. Nobody fight. ’in before the wanted Battle to ofmiss the Somme July 1916. w What can we learn from these sources about how accurate Source 2: Lieutenant John Parker George’s was of ‘We. Lieutenant couldn't speak, but it wasview an amazing how viewed Haig’s show. Wesoldiers stood behind the lines and watched the giant. Battle fireworks in the darkness. before of the Somme? No one could live through that. ’ What evidence is therein these two sources to support Lieutenant George’s view of General Haig’s tactics?

How accurate was Captain Blackadder?

The popular image of Haig in the Comedy series Blackadder, 1991 Positive: Lieutenant George Looking forward to going over the top and giving the Germans ‘a darn good thrashing. ’ Negative: Captain Blackadder expects that Haig’s tactics will be a disaster when he says: ‘You mean are we all going to get George is presented killed? ’ Lieutenant Suggests that he throughout expects the TV series as an Haig’s tactics will be Sees Haig as…. an uncaring arm over optimistic, fool successful. chair warrior who doesn’t care about how many men he sacrifices to: ‘more his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin. ’

What is the message of this source?

It appeared in a The ‘General’ looks political like Haig it’s a magazine caricature called Punch, Feb 1917 Does not directly mention or criticise Haig Source E Over 150 British Generals were either killed or captured during the FWW It’s a cartoon so it is designed to exaggerate the truth in order to get people to laugh. The caption ‘The absence of the General Sir’ shows that people were beginning to criticise Haig

OCR Question 3 w Study Sources D & E. w ‘These two sources are not about General Haig and the Battle of the Somme. ’ w How far do you agree that these sources have no use to an historian studying Haig and the Battle of the Somme?

Mark Scheme